Pneumatic-despatch-tube apparatus.



E. A. FORDYGE.

PNEUMATIC DESPATCH TUBE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1906.

1,1 1 1 ,890, Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

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E. A. FORDYOE. PNEUMATIC DESPATGH- TUBE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1906.

1, 1 1 1,890, Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

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PNEUMATIC DESPATGH TUBE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1906.

1, 1 1 1 ,890. Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

3 SHEBTSSHEET 3.

uNiTED sTAT s PATENT OFFICE.

EDMOND A. ronzorcn, OFBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, AssieNoarY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, To AMEnIcAN PNEUMATIC SERVICE COMPANY, or BOSTON, MASSACHU- SETTS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

PNEUMATIG-DESPATCHJIUBE APPARATUS.

I Specification of Letters Patent;

" Patented Sept. 29, 1914;.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDMOND A. FoRDYoE,

of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, haveinventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic-Despatch-Tube Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in pneumatic despatch tube apparatus and its object is to provide a device which is simple, positive and efficient for controlling the air which is admitted to the transit tube for driving the carriers and limiting the admission of the air to the amount necessary for the proper transmission thereof.

' My invention consists of certain novel features hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims. 1

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a construction embodying the 1nvention, Figure 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus in normal position when no carriers are 111 transit. Fig. 2 1s a sidedelevation partly in section showing the posi Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The transit tube A for the transmission of carriers from the central station C to nal A through the passage 13 with the central station C is a transmission tube B for returning the carriers to the central station, and which tube is provided with a carrier inlet controlled by the valve B" of usual construction, and at the lower end the said tube B is controlled by an ordinary discharge valve B Connected with thescrews F lower end of said tube is an elbow E and pipeE adaptedto communicate with said tube B through suitable slots in said tube nected with the suction drum D. This valve H is pivoted in the chamber K of said casing F on a rod J and is adapted to be opened outward into said chamber to the position shown in dotted lines Fig. 5. Pivoted to said valve H at N is a link,

which link is pivoted at is opposite end at i N to a diaphragm M which is mounted in the lower chamber L and secured at its outer edges between the Casing F and the head F which is secured to said casing by suitable Connecting the chamber L with the chamber 0 on the opposite side of the diaphragm M are the timing ports or conduit P adapted to be regulated or controlled by the timing valve P. Located in the head F" is an opening W adapted to connect the chamber 0 with the atmosphere and which opening is controlled by a valve W normally closing said opening. This valve W is carried on the lower end of the armature lever B which'is pivoted'to the head i F at-R? and which lever carries the armature Q secured thereto by a screw R.

Projecting from the lower part of said head F is a bracket'T carrying the adjustable screw '1 threaded therein, which screw carries the spring T adapted to engage the lower arm of said armature lever B holding valve W normally closed. The screw T? is locked'in adjusted position by a check nut T Secured to an extension F of the head F by the screw F is a magnet Q adapted to operate the armature Q, theends of the coils of the magnets being connected with the binding posts V and V mounted upon and insulated from the head F of the casing. Mounted on the rodJ is a helical spring U secured atone end to the rod J, the opposite end acting upon the valve H. The tension of this spring U isadjusted by a ratchet wheel U (see 4) mounted on the end of the rod J outside of the casing F, and which is held in adjusted position by on gagement with pawl U.

Projecting into the transmission tube B at the sub-station S (Fig. l) is a switch Y, one of the contacts of said switch connecting with a battery Z by means of wire Y the other contact of said switch Y connecting with the binding post V of the magnet Q by means of wire Y. The otherbinding post V of the magnet Q is connected with the battery Z by wire Y A similar switch X projects into the transmission tube A at the central station C; one contact of said switch is connected with wire Y by wire X, the other contact being connected with wire Y by a wire X Both switches X and Y are adapted to maintain a normally open position.

lVhen a carrier is to be despatched from central station C to a sub-station S, the carrier is inserted in the bell mouth A (Fig. 2) and striking the switch X closes the same, and through wires X Y battery Z, wires Y Y and X, energizes the magnet Q, attracting the armature Q and open ing valve W, admitting atmospheric pressure to the chamber 0 through the opening VJ destroying the vacuum in said chamber 0; this causes the diaphragm M to be forced over from the normal position shown in full lines (Fig. 5) to the position shown in dotted lines, whereupon, air is drawn from the atmosphere at the bell mouth A through the system to the suction drum D causing thecarrier to be driven through the tube A and discharging through the valve A at the sub-station S into the receptacle S.

In the meantime, after the carrier has passed the switch X, said switch opens by gravity, opening the circuit and de-magnetizing the magnet Q, releasing the armature- Q permitting the spring T to close the valve WV. The air in chamber 0 is gradually drawn through the openings P into the chamber L and tube Band pipe E causing the diaphragm M to slowly resume its nor mal position and with the aid of the spring U closing the valve H and cutting oi? the flow of air through the system. This movement is regulated by thetiming valve P so that the carrier will have been delivered by the time the valve H has closed.

When a carrier is to be returned from the substation S to the central station C, the valve B is opened and the carrier inserted into the tube, and striking the switch Y (Fig. 3) closes the circuit through wires Y battery Z, wires Y and Y, energiz ing the magnet Q admitting the atmosphere and opening the valve H as heretofore described, causing the air to be drawn through the system and driving the carrier through the .tube B from whence it discharges through the valve B atthe centralstation G into the receptacle C. In the meantime, the switch Y is closed by gravity breaking the circuit, de'energizing the magnet Q and gradually closing the valve H as heretofore described.

Having thus described the nature of my invention and set forth a construction en,- bodying the same, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States'is:

1. In pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, a transit tube for the transmission of carriers, an air-exhaust pipe communicating with the transit tube, a casing interposed in the communication between the transit tube and the air-exhaust pipe, an apertured par tition extending across the interior of the casing forming chambers therein with one chamber on the pressure side of the partition and the other chamber on the exhaustside of the partition with the two chambers communicating through the aperture in the partition, a valve in the chamber on the pressure side of the partition to control the aperture through the partition, a spring normally pressing the valve against the partition to close the aperture therein, a diaphragm extending across the chamber on the exhaust side of the partition, said chamber having a timing conduit leading around the diaphragm and said chamber having a port to the outside airopposite to the outer side of the diaphragm, means connecting the in ner side of the diaphragm with the valve so that an inward movement of the diaphragm will open said valve against the air-pressure back of the partition and against the action of the spring, a valve normally closing the port to the outside air, and carrier-actuated means for momentarily opening the port valve to admit atmospheric pressure to the outer side of the diaphragm to move the latter inward to operate the valve controlling the aperture in the partition, the atmospheric pressure so admitted exhausting through the timing conduit to the inner side of the diaphragm after the closing of the port-valve to permit the spring to close the partition-valve within a determined interval.

2. In pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, a transit'tube for the transmission of carriers, an air-exhaust pipe communicating with the transit tube, a casing interposed in the communication between the transit tube and the air-exhaust pipe, an apertured partition extending across the interior of the casing forming chambers therein with one chamber on the pressure side of the partition and the other chamber on the exhaust side of the partition with the two chambers communicating through the aperture in the partition, a valve in the chamber on the pressure side of the partition to control the aperture through the partition, a spring normally pressing the valve against the partiof the spring, a valve normally closing the port to the outside air, carrier-actuated mechanism for momentarily opening the port-valve to admit atmospheric pressure to the outer side of the diaphragm to move the latter inward to operate the valve controlling the aperture in the partition, the atmospheric pressure so admitted exhausting through the timing conduit to the inner side of the diaphragm after the closing of the port-valve to permit the spring to close the partition-valve, means for regulating the passage of air through the timing conduit to time the closing movement of the partitionvalve, and means for regulating the opening of the port-valve.

3. In pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, a transit tube for the transmission of carriers, an air-exhaust pipe communicating with the transit tube, a casing interposed in the communication between the transit tube and the air-exhaust pipe, an apertured partition extending across the interior of the casing forming chambers therein with one chamber on the pressure side of the partition and the other chamber on the exhaust side of the partition and with the two chambers communicating through the aperture in the partition, a valve in the chamber on the pressure side of the partition to control the aperture, through the partition, means normally pressing the valve against the partition to close the aperture therein, a diaphragm extending across the chamber on the exhaust side of the partition, saidchamber having a timing conduit leading around the diaphragm and a port to the outside air adjacent to one side of the diaphragm, means connecting the diaphragm with, the valve so that a movement of the diaphragm will open said valve against the air-pressure back of the partition and against the action of the valve closing means, a valve normally closing the port to the outside air, mechanism for momentarily opening the portvalve to admit atmospheric pressure to said side of the diaphragm to move the latter to operate the valve controlling the aperture in the partition, the atmospheric pressure so admitted exhausting through the timing conduit after the closing of the port-valve, to permit the aforesaid valve closing means to close the partition-valve within a substantially determined interval of time.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this twenty-seventh dayof November A. D. 1906.

EDMOND A. FORDYCE.

Witnesses:

H. D. WVA'rERHoUsE, H. R. DUNBAR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, D. G." 

